Future-proofed with the latest high-speed technologies. USB port makes it more flexible than ExpressCard options.

Cons

AT&T hasn't fully rolled out its high-speed upload network yet. Some USB modems are smaller than the 881 and include memory card readers.

Bottom Line

The Sierra Wireless USBConnect 881 is the fastest and most flexible way to access AT&T's HSPA system and global cellular networks.

The cellular wireless data world is a continual game of one-upmanship, with AT&T, Sprint, and Verizon fighting over which has the fastest network and the best coverage. (T-Mobile, so far, has sat out the game on the sidelines.) For content creators, there's a new speed demon in town. AT&T's HSUPA network has the fastest wide-area uploads we've seen yet, and the Sierra Wireless USBConnect 881 is the best device for accessing it.

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The USBConnect 881 is essentially Sierra Wireless's PC Card, the AirCard 881, in a more convenient USB form factor with a signal-boosting battery built in. It's a little brick with a USB plug that tucks into the back, an external antenna port on the side, and green LED lights for power and data. Although USB modems are a bit bulkier than PC Cards and ExpressCards, I prefer them for their flexibility. USB can be found on pretty much every PC in creation, from the slimmest MacBook Air to the bulkiest Dell XPS desktop, so you don't have to worry that your USB modem won't work with future PCs you buy.

Setting up the USBConnect 881 was relatively painless. On Windows Vista and XP PCs, I used AT&T's free Communication Manager utility. On a Mac running OS 10.5.2, I used Sierra's free Sierra Watcher utility. One tiny quibble: The USBConnect 881 is still a bit bulky and lacks the memory card readers and built-in flash memory storage you see on some of the latest Verizon and Sprint cards.

HSUPA (High-Speed Uplink Packet Access) is the latest upgrade to AT&T's network, and it isn't even officially live yet; the new technology will be rolling out over the next few months, according to AT&T spokesperson, Warner May. HSUPA allows uploads "ranging from 600 to 1,400 Kbps," according to the company. It follows HSDPA 3.6 (High-Speed Downlink Packet Access, 3.6 megabits), which theoretically allows downloads as fast as 3.6 Mbps. In reality, we're talking downloads around 1 Mbps. The Ultra Express actually supports HSDPA 7.2, an even faster variant of HSDPA that AT&T hasn't activated yet.

For the full history, HSDPA 3.6 followed HSDPA 1.8 (1.8 kilobits per second), which followed UMTS (384 Kbps), which followed EDGE (running at around 200 Kbps nowadays), which followed GPRS at a lowly 30 Kbps for average downloads.

Together, HSDPA and HSUPA make HSPA (High-Speed Packet Access). HSPA is part of a family of technologies called "3G," or third-generation cellular. So when you hear "3G," this is what people are talking about.

AT&T's weakness is nationwide coverage. The company's HSPA network covers fewer U.S. metro areas than Sprint's or Verizon's competing EV-DO Rev A networks, causing AT&T devices to drop down to slow EDGE speeds when they're outside a 3G area. You can find AT&T's list of high-speed cities here. Be sure to check the coverage map before you sign up.

The AT&T devices do work overseas, though. I tested the USBConnect 881 in Spain and in California's Silicon Valley, comparing it with the new Option GT Ultra Express. The results I got showed the patchiness of AT&T's network: I got HSUPA in only two out of seven Silicon Valley locations, and downloads in general were slower than I was accustomed to seeing on AT&T's network in New York City.

Where HSUPA was active, though, upload speeds went through the roof. At the two HSUPA upload spots, I got speeds of up to 1.04 Mbpsnoticeably faster than the 817-Kbps max I've seen with Verizon Wireless. That makes AT&T's HSUPA the fastest wide-area wireless upload network in America.

Download speeds averaged 446 Kbps, dragged down by some slow results that seemed to be caused by a problem with one of the FTP servers we use to test download speeds. Peak download speeds on a good HSDPA 3.6 tower were fast, though, at 1.53 Mbps. That's about the same as Verizon's peaks.

In Spain, the card worked seamlessly at UMTS speeds, and no special configuration was required. But global travelers need to watch data usage, since AT&T's global data plan allows only 100MB per month of usage outside the U.S. before you start incurring high per-megabyte charges.

The Option GT Ultra Express achieved about the same speeds on our tests, but the Sierra Wireless USBConnect 881 is more widely compatible, thanks to its USB connector and superior Mac OS support. If you need to hit high-speed networks in Europe, or you're looking for the best possible upload speeds in AT&T HSPA cities, this is the device to get.

About the Author

PCMag.com's lead mobile analyst, Sascha Segan, has reviewed hundreds of smartphones, tablets and other gadgets in more than 13 years with PCMag. He's the head of our Fastest Mobile Networks project, hosts our One Cool Thing daily Web show, and writes opinions on tech and society.
Segan is also a multiple award-winning travel writer. Other than ... See Full Bio

Sierra Wireless USBConnect 881

Sierra Wireless USBConnect 881

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